Five men studying for the priesthood at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary will be ordained to the diaconate this month, the next step in their priestly formation.
Four of the men, in formation for the Archdiocese of Denver, will be ordained by Archbishop Samuel Aquila 10 a.m. Feb. 14 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception: Servant of Christ Jesus Brother James Claver, Mason Donald Fraley, Salvador Sánchez Gasca and Matthew David Magee.
In addition, Andrew Kinstetter, who is in formation for the Diocese of Cheyenne, will be ordained at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Cheyenne Feb. 6 by Bishop Paul Etienne.
The diaconate is one of three ranks of holy orders—deacons, priests and bishops—in the Church and dates back to the time of the Apostles. The Book of Acts relates that the order was established when the Apostles told the Christian community to select “seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom” to serve the community and free the Apostles to focus on “prayer and ministry of the word” (6:3, 4). Over time, the diaconate became a transitional step for men studying to be priests.
The word “diaconate” comes from the Greek word “diakonia,” which means “service.” Deacons may officiate at baptisms, weddings, wakes and funerals, and may preach and distribute Communion. They cannot consecrate the Eucharist, hear confessions or anoint the sick.
The Denver ordination liturgy will be available for live viewing online at http://archden.org/livestream.
